Second Chance
by tiffanywillow
Summary: Haruka was happy with Michiru and Hotaru. She had forgotten about her painful past. Until one day, her mother showed up at her doorstep and begged for Haruka's forgiveness.
1. Second Chance

**Chapter 1- Second Chance**

* * *

The soup in the pot was bubbling, slightly spilling over the brim. I quickly ran over to turn down the heat. Hotaru came into the kitchen, following the smell of food.

"Haruka-papa, what are you making? When did you learn to cook?"

I winked at the small child. "Is Michiru-mama still taking a nap? This might take me a while; I just read it in mama's cookbook."

Hotaru pulled a chair closer to the stove and climbed up. "Haruka-papa, you are supposed to peel the potatoes. Also, you are burning the fish."

"Ahhh…" Darn. I did burn the fish. I wonder if Michiru would notice if I just scrape off the burnt part. How did this get so difficult? I just wanted to cook a dinner for my wife. When she came back from her art class, she looked exhausted. The students must have been a handful today…

 _Ding Dong._ "Hotaru, could you help me open the door? Setsuna-mama must have forgotten her keys again." I asked as I dumped the burnt fish into the garbage.

Hotaru ran to the door. I could hear the front door open and a weirdly familiar voice talking to my daughter. It wasn't Setsuna.

I turned off the stoves and walked out of the kitchen. My heart stopped when I saw who she was talking to. Standing at my door, awkwardly clutching her handbag, looking so much older than before, was my mother.

"Papa, she has the same last name as you. Who is she?"

I tried to speak but I had become mute. Anger flashed through me, mixed in with sadness and regret.

"Hello, Haruka. How are you?" With a slight tremor in her voice, mom asked gently.

"Fine. What are you doing here?" I said coldly. Hotaru was looking at me with her puzzling eyes but she could recognize my anger. She excused herself, giving me the privacy to deal with my mother.

"May I come in?"

Reluctantly, I nodded. That was when I noticed that she was wearing a black kimono and she wasn't wearing any jewellery. She must have came straight from a funeral. "Who died?" I asked.

Surprised by the coldness in my voice, tears welled up in her eyes. "Your father. He died of a heart attack last week. The funeral was beautiful, if you are wondering…." Her voice trailed off.

A stabbing pain pierced my heart. So he's dead. I felt the sudden urge to scream and punch something. He made our lives miserable, why would I feel sad for him?

"Haruka, I know we haven't seen or speak to each other for years now. Perhaps it's too late, but I would like a second chance. Please let me be your mother again?" Her eyes pleaded silently.

I looked at the familiar stranger in front of me and I clenched my fists. The hurt of betrayal lingered in my heart all these years, could I trust her again?

Just then, Michiru walked up and put an arm around me. Protective as always, I could always count on her to side with me. Then, to my complete and utter surprise, Michiru walked up to my mother and extended her hand. "Hi, my name is Kaioh Michiru. I am your daughter's partner. Nice to meet you."

My mom shook Michiru's hand awkwardly.

"Would you like to stay for dinner?"Michiru asked nicely. I gave her a look, begging her to stop. I didn't want my mother in this house. I didn't want my mother to be in my life. I thought I had put all of that in my past, now that I had my own family.

Gratefully, my mother accepted Michiru's invitation.

Hotaru ran up to Michiru and peered at the old woman curiously. "Oh, and this is our daughter Hotaru."

My mother gasped and looked at Hotaru with awe. She looked at me with tears in her eyes and then she knelt down and pulled Hotaru into a tight embrace. "Hi, sweety. I am your grandmother."

I walked back into the kitchen. If they wanted to have a happy reunion, then fine. I didn't want to be part of it. Frustrated, I banged my head against the wall. Why did she have to show up now? My life was pretty perfect, I didn't need her to come up and mess it up. Could she really accept Michiru and Hotaru?

Michiru wrapped her arms around me and rested her head on my back. "Haruka, let's give her a chance."

Urgh. I couldn't ever say no to Michiru. I turned and gave my wife a lingering kiss. I needed to feel her, as if to validate my relationship with her.

"We have faced the Messiah of Silence. I think we can handle your mother, Haruka." Michi said with a cocky smile. "Also, what happened in the kitchen? It looked like a war had happened here."

"Oh, I was trying to make dinner. Key word tried. We need to get takeout. Ramen?" I pulled out the take out menu binder and handed it to my wife.

"I will go ask your mother what she wants." Michiru ran out of the kitchen before I could protest.

I took a deep breath and tried to will myself to calm down. Michiru was right. We helped saved the world. Whatever was to happen with my mother, we could endure that too. Right?


	2. The Past

**Chapter 2- The Past**

 ****Trigger warning: reference to domestic abuse****

* * *

I sat across from my mother at the dining table. Memories of the past flooded my brain, building up a bitter taste in my mouth. I slammed my rice bowl down in frustration. Hotaru reached over and squeezed my hand, as if she knew what I was feeling. I could feel Michiru and mother looking at me, but I couldn't meet their gaze. I was barely holding on.

"I am not hungry. Michi, I am going to go out and clear my head a bit." Without waiting for her response, I stood up and left the table. An audible sigh came from my mother but I ignored her.

I grabbed the key and ran to my car. _Vroom. Vroom._ The engine revved and I pressed down hard on the gas. I rolled down the roof and allowed the wind to dance around me. The rough wind and the roaring engine had always being able to soothe me, even when I was at my darkest moment.

I took the usual route along the shore, where the road would be mostly empty and I could take my car to its fastest speed. The wind whipped and lashed, reminding me not to be weak.

 _Please let me be your mother again._ Mother's voice popped into my head, disrupting my peace. I gripped the wheel tightly until my knuckles turned white. How could she? If she really wanted to be my mother again, she had so many chances over the years. Yet, she waited until dad was dead.

Suddenly, I felt like I was suffocating. The car came to a screeching halt, as I slumped over the wheel, gasping for air. My heart pounded and an unexplainable panic rose. The panic continued, intensified in my chest. I clutched my heart, trying to breathe normally. Even though it was a cool spring night, I was covered in sweat. Then, the tears came….

I didn't want to remember him. I didn't want to mourn him. He was a misogynistic man and a sadist. How mom could stand him all these years was beyond me.

Before I was born, I had two older brothers. According to mom, dad was a different man back then. Ecstatic to have two sons, he was the model father. He taught my brothers sports and martial arts. He took them driving in his car. When mom was pregnant with me, he told everyone he couldn't wait to have a third son.

I could almost imagine his disappointed face, when he realized I was a girl. The funny thing was, by the time I was four, I knew I wasn't all girl. Gender identity was a funny thing. I wasn't a girl and I wasn't a boy either.

I remembered watching my brothers playing with dad outside, doing their usual father-son bonding sports. Mom always joked about how we could have a girls-only party but that was no interest to me. I wanted to run alongside my brothers and beat them in everything. So in the end, I disappointed my dad by not being a son and I disappointed my mom by not being a daughter.

Dad named me "Harun" before I was born. It meant warrior lion. After I was born, mom changed it to Haruka. Growing up, I wished I could keep the more masculine name. I wished I was the warrior lion and I could be strong.

As a family, we always go to church on Sundays. Each and every time, it would be a traumatic experience for me. Pretty, frilly, pink dresses….complete with a pink bow to my hair. It wasn't that I hated dresses, but the fact that I was expected to wear them. So one time, I jumped into a puddle on purpose so that my dress would get dirtied. Without a word, dad lifted me out of it and then slapped me hard in front of everyone. That was our first father-daughter interaction. Mom stood by like a good wife. She obeyed. I was wrong and so I must be punished. My brothers were shocked but then sneered at my misfortune. I sat through the sermon in my wet and muddy dress.

When I was seven, my brothers died in a drowning accident. If dad was already cold and distant toward mom and me, he was even more so after. His last bit of warmth died along with my brothers. What was left was an empty shell that housed a monster.

I kept my gender identity as a secret for years. I knew neither of them could understand. I didn't really understand it myself back then either. I rejected all things feminine. I found out I was really good at sports and so I joined all of them at school. Mom was supportive initially. She came to my track and field meets sometime. Then, my dad barked his order. "You are a girl. You should know your place." It wasn't proper for a girl to be so athletic. In his twisted mind, I was supposed to stay silent and be meek. Mom apologized to me but she stopped coming. Too afraid to contradict her man, she chooses to obey her husband instead of supporting her daughter.

One day, he came home early from work. He found me playing dress up in my room. I was wearing his white shirt and his suit, complete with his most expensive tie. In a cold and terrorizing voice, he asked what I was doing. Even though my heart was pounding, I refused to show him fear. Afraid that my trembling voice would betray me, I chose to stay silent and defiant. He gently took off the tie and his suit jacket, and then he yanked my arm forcefully and shoved me into the hallway closet. I forgot how long I stayed there, but I refused to beg. Mom came home hours later but she couldn't do anything to save me. "Haruka was dressed up like a man. It was your fault. Shouldn't you be teaching her on how to be a proper lady? She's not young anymore." Dad yelled and blamed mom.

When I was twelve, I made another discovery. It was no surprise that I like girls. One day, my parents were called in to the school. I was caught flirting with another girl during class. The teacher talked to them for a long time behind closed doors, no doubt giving them tips on how to correct my deviant lifestyle. Dad came out of the room and his face was red with anger. He stared at me and simply shook his head. Mom had her face down and she made me apologize to the teacher for talking during class.

By this point, they had given up on me. Dad spent more and more time at work. When he was home, he would yell at mom excessively for any little wrong doings. One day, out of the blue, he went into my room and took all my "male" clothing and burnt them in our backyard. I was left with frilly shirts and pretty dresses.

Mom once asked me why I antagonized dad so much. In her mind, I was this way because I wanted to be like my brothers and be loved by my father. She couldn't be more wrong. I was this way because I was born like this and I shouldn't have to beg for my parents love.

I came out to my parents officially when I was fourteen. I had met a girl and we were dating. I decided that I wouldn't lie anymore, or hide who I am. I sat mom and dad down and told them what they already know.

"You are not my daughter. Unless you change, you are not welcome in this house anymore. Have you not brought enough shame to this family already?" Dad towered over me and stared at me with his cold black eyes. Mom was crying uncontrollably.

So I packed a bag and left. I was really close with my track and field coach at the time, and she took me in. As a way of repaying her kindness, I practiced harder than all the other teammates and I won her many, many medals.

 _Beep. Beep._ My communicator was flashing. The sound startled me and brought me back to the present. I wiped my tears away and flipped open the watch.

"There's an attack at the Juban Shopping Center. The girls need our help." Michiru said in a hushed voice.

"I will meet you there." Hungry for a fight, I hopped into the car and raced toward Juban. If dad could see me now, fighting in a mini skirt, what would he think? Screw him. He's dead.


	3. Second Closet

**Chapter 3-Second Closet**

* * *

The fight was overwhelmingly unsatisfying. Two attacks and the phage went down. Sailor moon took care of the rest.

"Wow, who pissed you off today?" Sailor Jupiter asked. She stood up, limping on one leg. "That phage was so fast that it took the four of us to pin it down. If only we didn't get distracted by Sailor Moon falling, we could've taken care of this by ourselves."

"Oh, Haruka is just having a rough day." Neptune jumped in and explained.

"Haruka-san, that world shaking was amazing. Also, you could run as fast as that phage. That was AMAZING!" Sailor Moon looked at me with admiration. I couldn't help but smile a little.

Michiru and I said goodbye to the girls and we walked back to my car. Michi held my hand the entire way, silent and deep in thought.

"That attack was full of anger. You could've killed that phage. Are you okay, Haruka?"

I nodded. "I know what I was doing. I held back a little, didn't you see? Besides, that drive was like therapy, I feel better now. Is she still there?"

"I told your mother I came out to get you. She offered to stay behind and look after Hotaru. Those two bonded quickly. Setsuna came home after you left. Your mom looked at her weirdly. She probably thought you have two wives or something. Haha…" Michiru winked at me.

"Not funny, Michi." I revved the engine and let the sound drown out all the other sounds. Michiru sighed and looked the other way. We drove in silence for the rest of the way.

Mom was still there when we got home. Braiding Hotaru's hair. A new batch of cookies was cooling on the counter. Hotaru was already happily munching on one. Seeing us, she got up and twirled in front of us.

Mom grinned at us awkwardly, then a concerned look. "That cut looks bad. You need to disinfect it and then bandage it. What happened?"

Mom, I am a sailor senshi and I fight evil while wearing a mini skirt. I thought in my head. I wondered how she would react, if she found out one day. How weird I jumped out of one closet and now I was shoved into another. "Oh, the cut? I was playing…volleyball with Minako. Scraped the ground."

Michiru raised her eyebrows at me. She knew I was terrible at lying. "It's okay, Mrs. Tenou. I will dress the wound."

"It's getting late. I should leave. Haruka, I am staying at this hotel. Here's my number. I hope….I hope you will call me sometime." Mom handed me the card, while avoiding eye contact with me. She was probably crying, I couldn't tell.

Hotaru tugged at my hand, gesturing me to bend down. "Can grandma stay? She's funny, like you Papa. I like her." She whispered to my ears, but unfortunately loud enough for everyone to hear. I groaned internally.

I looked at mom, debating my next move. I don't know if I could trust her this time. Could people change? Seeing my hesitation, mom gracefully declined Hotaru's invitation. She left without saying another word.

I felt torn, seeing her walking away. No. I can't trust her. Sometimes there aren't second chances.

Michiru reached for my hand and gave me a gentle squeeze. "Everything will be okay, Haruka. One thing I learned from Usagi is that sometimes people are good. I want to believe. Like how she believed in everyone. Our princess taught us that."


	4. Our Parents

**Chapter 4-Our Parents**

* * *

I tossed and turned that night, unable to fall asleep. Michiru had her back turned but she was awake too. Finally, she turned on her bedside lamp and sat up. She patted me on the shoulder and motioned me to sit up too. She had her serious face on.

"Haruka, remember how I told you my parents died in a boating accident?"

I nodded. Although I could feel there were parts of that story that Michiru had kept to herself. We always shared everything with each other, but when it came to our parents, painful secrets were kept.

Sadness flashed on her face and her eyes glistened. "I killed them, accidentally. It was my fault."

"What?" Did I hear that right?

"My first girlfriend Alex was turned into a youma and that was when I was activated. I had to kill her before the monster killed me. In my grief, my power amplified and I was so angry, so I shot out my attacks out into the ocean. At that time, my mom was invited to perform at this cruise and my dad went with. I didn't know their ship was passing through that exact spot at that exact time. One of my attacks sank the ship, killing everyone. They blamed it on a weird storm, as it was during typhoon season…." Michiru started sobbing now.

I pulled her into my arms and my heart ached as I watched her sinking deeper into her own sorrow.

"Before they left, mom caught me kissing Alex. The last thing she said to me was that I shamed the family. Oh Haruka, I wished I could take that day back."

I kissed her on her head and whispered her name over and over. At a loss of words, I just held her as she wept. Finally spent, Michiru sat back up and wiped her tears away. She reached over and put her hands around my face. The sea goddess gave me a long lingering kiss. My head swoon as I felt her warmth and breathe in her scent.

"Michiru, I have to ask. Why did you trust my mother after only one meeting? You and I, we are not the type to trust so quickly. Why?"

"You never talk about your parents, so I assumed they were dead as well. When she showed up, I felt hope. My parents are gone, but you still have your mother, and she wants to be in your life again. I don't know what they did to you to the past, but she looked a lot like you and I just couldn't help but trust that face." Michiru looked at me with her aquamarine eyes and offered me a weak smile. "Or maybe I just miss having a mother. If she can accept us and accept Hotaru, then our family would grow, wouldn't you say? At the end of the day, she is your mother."

I took a deep breath and then I told Michiru everything. How my father pretty much ignored me since my birth because I was born as a girl. How my father treated my mother like she was nothing but a doormat most of their lives. How my father threw me out of the house and my mother did nothing to help me….

Michiru was silent for a long while, thinking about what I told her. She let out a long sigh and then she plopped back down on the bed. "Maybe your mother was scared….scared of your father, scared of change, scared of gossip…sometimes we forget, our parents are just humans. It might have taken your mom years, but she seemed like she was ready to redeem herself. Maybe she accepted you a long time ago, but your father forbade her from contacting you….Maybe…" Her eyes fluttered and Michiru shut her eyes, drifting off into her dream land, leaving her last sentence unsaid.

I lay down next to my love and I held her hand as I watched her sleep. Perhaps, I should give mom a second chance.

* * *

 _A.N. For Michiru fans that want to read more about her parents' story, please refer to my "Michiru's Memoir". I am shamelessly self referencing now ;P_


	5. Hurt

**Chapter 5-Hurt**

* * *

I held the phone as I paced in the living room. My heart pounded and I was so nervous. Finally, I dialed the number. It was better to just get over with this.

 _Ring. Ring._ No answer. I checked the clock, it was already 11am. She should be up by now. I slammed the phone down, frustrated. The chance slipped away and I didn't feel like calling again.

"Try again." A small voice said, startling me. Hotaru came over and took the phone and the number. She dialed it and handed it back to me, all the while beaming. "Papa, can you ask Grandma if she wants to take me to the park. I already finished all the homework Setsuna-mama gave me."

 _Ring. Ring._ "Hello?"

I opened my mouth and nothing came out. Sighed, Hotaru climbed onto me and took the phone.

"Hi, Grandma. It's Hotaru. What are you doing today? Uh-huh. Uh-huh. I was wondering if you want to go to the park today. It's so nice out. Mama can make sandwiches and we can all go out for a picnic. Oh….okay, I will ask papa. I will call you later? Okay…" Hotaru placed the phone down and turned to look at me with her puppy eyes.

"Papa, grandma said I have to ask for your permission. Is it okay? If you don't want to go, then I don't want to go. But I really really really want to go…."

Reluctantly, I nodded. I could never say no to my little firefly. Hotaru let out a happy squeal and picked up the phone again. For some reason, the two of them bonded instantly. Seeing mom braiding Hotaru's hair yesterday was strange and unsettling. I guess she had never gotten the chance to dress up her daughter.

Michiru was already pulling the ingredients out of the fridge, getting ready to make sandwiches. A groggy Setsuna woke and made her way into the kitchen. "Oi, family fun day with Haruka's mom? I think I am going to stay home today. Haruka, I think your mom thinks you are married to two women instead of one. Might want to explain that to her eh?" Michiru was laughing while I silently groaned inside. Was I the only one nervous about today?

Two hours later, the three of us piled into the car. I turned on the engine and I felt the same panic as before. Could we really do this? Could we have a regular picnic and pretend nothing was wrong?

"Come on, Papa. We are going to be late." Hotaru nudged me and looked at me annoyingly.

Putting my doubts aside, I pushed down on the accelerator. The sound of the engine soothed me slightly and I could breathe again. Michiru gently patted my hand, reminding me that it wasn't the end of the world.

Mom was already waiting at the park when we arrived. She smiled and waved to us. She sat on a huge picnic blanket and she had boxes of food spread out in front of her.

"Hi, Mrs. Tenou. I made sandwiches, you didn't have to buy more food." Michiru placed her basket down and sat down next to my mom. Hotaru promptly took the last vacant seat next to mom.

"Hi, Mom." I waved awkwardly and then sat next to Michiru. Mom reached over and took my hand, looking uncomfortable and grateful at the same time.

"Grandma, why did you buy so many different salads?" Hotaru opened each box, disappointed. She was going through her phase of "I hate all vegetables".

"Because papa likes her salads." Michiru jumped in with the explanation. Mom smiled and said she didn't know if I had changed my preference, so she brought all the different kinds.

"It's fine, mom. Thank you." I randomly picked one box and opened it. Mom's smile widened. She passed me a fork and a napkin, and then she stared at me as I ate.

The picnic was strangely peaceful. Mom and Hotaru chatted away happily; Michiru joined in and the conversation turned into "swapping embarrassing Haruka stories" time. Weirdly enough, I felt myself relax and I lied down on the blanket.

"Kaioh Michiru. I have found you." A small figure appeared behind the bushes, shrouded by shadows. Menacingly, she slowly advanced.

I sat up, my hand clutched the transformation wand in my pocket. It was Sailor Iron Mouse.

Michiru told Hotaru to run and to protect Grandma. Without another word, she stood up and dragged Grandma into the forest.

"Kaioh Michiru, the famous violinist. I think your star seed will be beautiful." Two bright shots came out of Sailor Iron Mouse's bracelets, firing straight at Michiru.

"Neptune Planet Power Make Up!" "Uranus Planet Power Make Up!" We both transformed and leapt out of the way. The shots hit the tree and it exploded.

Not your lucky day, Sailor Iron Mouse. Acting in unison, we sent out our attacks at the evil Sailor. Not expecting Michiru to get away, she was struck.

"You are a Sailor Scout? Oh, Galaxia-sama would be happy to hear that. Hm, two against one, that seemed hardly fair…let's see if we could balance the scale a bit." She started leaping from tree to tree while scanning the ground underneath.

Neptune and I followed.

"Uranus, there." Michiru pointed to a clearing up ahead. Something was wrong. Sailor Iron Mouse was standing in the middle of the field and grinning. Beside her, Hotaru lay unconscious and someone was wrapped in black vines.

"SAILOR MOM!" A phage emerged from the vine cocoon.

I stood there, dumbfounded. Anger flared inside me and I allowed it to collect, fueling my powers. "WORLD SHAKING!" I aimed my attack at Mouse. Despicably, she leapt up and then hid behind the phage.

"Neptune. Call the others." We need the princess to heal mom.

"Sailor Mom, don't just stand there. It's time to punish these two very bad girls." Sailor Mouse commanded.

"Hehehe…." Mom's mouth twisted up in a grotesque smile. Phage mom raised her hand and razor sharp hair pins materialized in her hand. "Your hair is too plain…" she hurled the pins straight at me and Neptune.

We started leaping and running, trying to dodge all of them. Neptune rolled under the phage and grabbed Hotaru. I started running, drawing the phage's attention to me. "Hey, Sailor Mom. You missed."

 _Swish._ A few more pins flew toward me. They were useless against the wind. No one could catch the wind. I was so focused on the phage that I nearly ran into Sailor Mouse's trap. I dodged her attack and leapt out of the way at the last minute, but the pins drove deep into my legs.

"Uranus!" Neptune shrieked. "Deep submerge." Her attack hit the phage directly, momentarily stunned the monster.

"World Shaking!" I threw my attack at Sailor Mouse and it made a direct hit. The enemy screamed and one of the bracelets broke. Cowardly, she summoned her phone booth and hid inside.

"You will regret this, Sailor Uranus. Have fun killing each other. I would love to stay and watch, but I need Galaxia-sama to fix this bracelet." With that, she vanished with the phone booth.

Just in time, Sailor Moon and the scouts showed up. The princess raised her rod and sent forth her healing powers. Mom was restored. I ran to catch her as she fell.

"Haruka?" Her eyes fluttered open, stared at me with wonder. With her energy spent, her head flopped to one side as she lost her consciousness.


	6. Healing

**Chapter 6-Healing**

* * *

Mom was hurt pretty bad. There was a long gash on her forehead, bruises on her arms, presumably her body as well. I carried her to my car and gently lay her down on the backseats. She looked so broken and fragile now. I clenched my fists, anger flooding through my veins. Sailor Iron Mouse! She did this to my mom.

"Haruka?" Michiru gave me a gentle tap. "We should take her home with us. We will take care of her while she heals. Okay?" She then turned and asked Ami whether we should take mom to the hospital.

"Her cut isn't deep, she won't need stitches. She had already woken, so not in a coma. I am coming with you guys so I can keep an eye on her." Ami said as she got into the car.

We all waited anxiously by mom's side that night. Hotaru wasn't hurt, thankfully. We were lucky that Sailor Iron Mouse overlooked her because she was a kid. If her star seed was taken….I pushed that thought out of my mind.

"Haruka, your mom is okay. She's awake and everything seems fine. Except the cuts and the bruises. Michiru, come with me. I need to tell you what to do after I leave…" The two water senshi left the room, leaving me alone with mom.

I turned to see mom stirred in bed, slowly waking up. "Mom."

"Haruka, you are hurt." Mom frowned, starring at my bandaged legs.

"Mom, you are hurt." I sat down beside her and took her hands. I wasn't expecting it, the wave crashed through me before I could stop it. I bent over sobbing.

She reached over and stroked my back. I eventually collapsed into her chest and she just held me as I wept.

"Haruka, I am sorry. I am sorry I let you go. I regretted not standing up to your father every, single day. I wasn't a good mother. I hope, that one day, you will forgive me. I love you." She kissed the top of my head.

I had no words. My heart twisted in a knot, so tight it hurt. All these years, anger had slowly invaded my mind. Yet, as I looked at her, those eyes were filled with regret. She had suffered too.

"Mom, give me some time. I am glad though, that you are here…." I looked down, still feeling the conflicts inside of me.

"Haruka, there is something I want to ask you." Mom looked embarrassed. "I woke up remembering this, and I wasn't sure if it was because I hit my head. Are you….are you one of the sailor scouts? I read about them before, in the newspapers. Did I imagine it? "

"What?!" What did she see at the park before she became a phage? "What do you remember from yesterday?"

"Well, I remembered that monster that came to attack you guys. Hotaru grabbed my hand and we ran. I heard the explosion behind me and I thought you must be dead….but then I saw a sailor senshi leaping away from the explosion and she looked a lot like you. Then, the monster came out of nowhere and attacked Hotaru. Then she turned and attacked me. When I woke up, a sailor senshi was carrying me. She had the same eyes as you, Haruka." Mom looked at me with her confused eyes.

"Mom, you hit your head pretty hard yesterday. The sailor senshi did come to the park and saved us all. Michiru and I were alive because of them. They saved you and Hotaru too. I think you were just worry about my safety, so you thought you saw me as a soldier." I tried to keep my tone even, although my heart was pounding. I was never good at lying.

"Sorry, Haruka, for saying such silly things. I did hit my head yesterday. I am glad you are okay. That monster was so scary."

"It's okay. You should get some rest now. I have something I have to do today. Michiru is downstairs, so you can call her if you need anything." I got up and walked away.

 _Vroom._ I raced my car down the street toward Rei's temple. A senshi meeting was called. I needed to tell the girls that Michiru and my civilian identities were compromised. Perhaps Ami could come up with some plan that could make sure mom and Hotaru stay safe.

The girls were already there when I arrived. Usagi looked up with worry on her face. The others stopped talking as I entered.

"Michiru called and told us everything." The princess came up and gave me a hug. "We will find a way to keep you, Michiru, Hotaru and your mother safe. Everything will be okay."

"Haruka, I think the first thing we need to do is to move you guys out of your house and find another place to live." Ami closed her computer and jumped to the chase. "Last time Eugeal spent two days tracking you guys down but it was pretty easy for her to find your address. Sailor Iron Mouse probably reported you guys to Galaxia by now. I just did a quick search myself on the internet. Luckily, Michiru was a pretty private person, so it took some hard digging to find her address. But we should move everyone by tonight."

"I was thinking Michiru and I could disappear for a while. I wanted to ask you guys to take care of Hotaru when we were gone. As for mom, I would have to convince her to move to another city." I had no idea how to explain this to her. She would probably think that I wasn't ready for her to be in my life yet. It would probably break her heart, but at least she would be safe.

Ami nodded, approving of my plan. "It's probably for the best. You said Sailor Iron Mouse completely skipped over Hotaru right? You and Michiru need to stay away from Hotaru right now. If she discovered how powerful that little girl was, then the world would end."

"Hotaru can stay here. I have a spare room." Rei offered. "Plus, the girls are always here. She would be safe among us."

"Thank you, guys. I will go pack up her stuff and drop Hotaru off in a few hours." I stood up, ready to leave.

"Wait. Can I talk to you outside?" Usagi asked.

So I followed her outside, curious about all the secrecy. The little kitten sat down under one of the trees and motioned me to sit beside her.

"I know this is none of my business, but I want to talk to you about your mother. How are you, Haruka?"

I shrugged. I wasn't sure if I was okay or not. Seeing mom get hurt changed something inside of me. It made me realize that I didn't want to lose her. Yet, I couldn't get over my anger.

"Out of everyone, I don't think I have the right to tell you how you should feel. I mean, I have a pretty normal family, so I don't know what is like to lose a parent….You lost your dad and your mom in a sense when they kicked you out of the house. Then your mom came back to your life. Isn't that a good thing? It's okay to be angry. That's because you cared about her and you love her. I believe that you and your mom will work things out eventually and you will repair your relationship. And I don't want to see you sad."

Oh, my little kitten. Usagi's ability to love just about anyone never ceased to amaze me. She looked at me with her hopeful eyes, waiting for my response.

"I will try my best, kitten. First things first though, I need to kick mom out of my house. Thank you, Usagi." I patted her head, causing her to blush.

Usagi's words looped in my head as I drove home. If we could get through this fight, then maybe I could start thinking about how to repair my relationship with my mother. Right now, I just want to make sure everyone was safe…


	7. The Reveal

**Chapter 7-The Reveal**

* * *

Mom was sleeping still when I arrived. I grabbed her luggage and started packing her stuff. My mind was crowded with conflicting emotions. Love, anger, worry, relief…

"Haruka? What are you doing?" Mom stirred, struggling to sit up.

I forced myself to take a deep breath. I had to choose my words carefully.

"Mom, I need you to go. For a little while." I looked at her in the eyes, feeling the pain radiating from her gaze.

She looked down and slowly nodded. "You are not ready. I understand. I thought….never mind. I will go in the morning."

I clenched my fists, reminding myself not to cave. I wanted to tell her the truth, that it was not safe here. That, however, would lead to questions. It was better to mislead her.

"Actually, I am packing your stuff now. I need you to leave soon…..I am sorry." I looked away, afraid my eyes would betray my emotions. "I will call a cab for you later."

Mom got out of bed with great effort. Her face contorted in pain as she stepped on her legs. She grabbed the bedpost and steadied herself. Mom looked at me with a half smile, "I am okay. Just weak from sleeping all day. Don't worry, Haruka. I understand. It was too sudden."

I rushed over and told her to sit down. "Mom, you don't have to stand up. I will do the packing. Actually, I should probably just drive you to your hotel. Help you get set up and stuff."

She reached over and stroked my hair. "Okay."

I put the last of mom's bags into the convertible. Mom was sitting on the front steps, waiting for me to come help her. I was glad Mako-chan offered to keep an eye on her while she stayed at the hotel. Just in case if the enemy figured out who she was. Mother of Sailor Uranus. That would make a perfect hostage for them.

"Hello, Tenou Haruka." A sinister voice said behind me.

I turned, clutching my transformation pen in my pocket. Sailor Iron Mouse stepped out of the shadow. She was wearing her civilian form still.

"You can't run away from me. Looks like I caught you before you flee." She turned to look at mom. "So obaasan, how do you know Haruka? Who are you?"

"Leave her out of this! This is between you and me." I stole a glance at mom. She stood, leaning on the wall, looking worried. She had the sense to stay quiet though.

Mouse turned and gave me a sinister smile. She leapt up into the air and shed her human clothes. "Give me your star seed. You are the best car racer in Japan and you shine with the brilliance of the star. You are also Sailor Uranus. I think you are the one I've been looking for. You and Sailor Neptune." She let out an evil laugh. "Surrender, or obaasan dies." Sailor Iron Mouse turned her bracelets toward mom.

There was no choice but to reveal myself. "Uranus Planet Power Make up!"

I emerged from the sun cocoon as Sailor Uranus. Mom gasped and her eyes tear up.

"Let her go and I will let you live." I should be able to run fast enough to get mom out of the shot range. I have a chance.

Sailor Iron Mouse laughed. "Then say goodbye to Obassan."

"Monster! Haruka, RUN." Mom hurled a large rock at the enemy. Unbelievably, the rock hit the sailor hard in the head. Mouse stumbled back and yelped in pain.

I ran to mom, put her on my back and started running. I zigzagged through the back alleys, trying to put some distance between us and the enemy. With mom on my back, I couldn't leap high enough. The only option was to keep running. I clicked open my communicator and send a distress signal to everyone. Then I called Michiru. "Make sure Hotaru is safe." If the enemy could track our address, they might have tracked the adoption papers. If they track far enough, they could figure out who Hotaru was.

Finally reaching the little cluster of forest behind our house, I put mom down. We stayed low in the bushes, obscured by darkness. Mom whispered a "thank you" to me. She looked up at me with wonder and sadness in her eyes.

I gestured her to be quiet. I looked around for any signs of movement. Just need to hold on for a few minutes until back up showed up. Normally, one on one was not a problem. With mom here, it changed the balance.

My communicator beeped softly. "Almost there." It flashed a message from Sailor Mercury.

Just then, a glow radiated from up ahead and the trees exploded. Sailor Iron Mouse appeared in front of us. "No more forest to hide in. First I will take your star seed, and then kill her. Or I will kill her first before I take your …."

"World shaking." I hurled the attack at her before she finished talking. I grabbed mom and started running again.

 _Poof._ Sailor Iron Mouse materialized in front of us, a couple yards away. I put myself in front of mom. My options were quickly running out.

"Sailor Planet Power Attack!" A powerful rainbow beam shot out, piercing through the darkness. Sailor Iron Mouse turned in horror and screamed as the kill shot made direct contact. She fell from the sky and thudded on the ground.


	8. Forgiveness

**Chapter 8-Forgiveness**

* * *

"Good morning, Haruka." Mom turned as I walked into the kitchen. She seemed better today.

"Mom, you shouldn't be up. How are you?" I went over and took over the spatula. "I will make

breakfast. You should go sit down.

Mom pushed my hand away and smiled. "Let me make you breakfast. I am okay, I promise."

I relented. If I made breakfast, no one would be able to eat. Surprisingly, I had no talent in

cooking. Mom put down two bowls of congee, a plate of eggs and a bowl of natto. "Do you still

hate natto?" I nodded as I pushed the natto further away.

"Michiru and Setsuna took Hotaru to the park. So, it's just the two of us. I…. I want to talk to you.

Alone." Mom sat down across from me. We haven't talked about last night. Mom saw my transformation. Mom helped fighting the enemy.

"I have read about the sailor scouts over the past few years. A group anonymous heroes that saved people from various evils. I always thought the stories were exaggerated. I just didn't want to think that monsters were real in this world, I guess. Thank you for saving my life and thank you for saving the world." Mom reached over and grabbed my hand, "I am so proud of you."

My heart skipped a beat.

"There were times when I worried about you. After your father kicked you out, I used to wake up every night from nightmares. The world wasn't exactly kind to people like…you. We weren't kind to you. Instead of getting to know you, we tried to mold you into something you were not. I am sorry, Haruka. As a mother, I just wanted you to be happy. I imagined your wedding when you were little. You would marry a kind man, a better man than your father. You would have your own children. Your life would be filled with happiness. Somehow, I thought happiness was only possible if you were ordinary." Mom looked down, her face clouded with regret.

I took her hand and looked into her eyes. "I just wanted to be true to myself. I am not exactly sure what ordinary happiness would be, but I didn't think my current self is abnormal. What I am now is what is closest to my true self. I don't care for what's ordinary or normal, I have something more valuable than ordinary happiness."

Mom put her hands around my face. "And you have found your own happiness. You have your career, you have found love, you have a daughter…and you are a superhero. I love you, Haruka." She looked at me with teary eyes.

At a loss of words, I took her hand and kissed it. Somewhere deep in my heart, I loved her. Over the years, anger and hate had smothered that feeling down. Spending time with her and actually getting to know her, I felt that love returning. Mom was a different person now that she was no longer under my dad's thumb.

"Mom, you are still not safe here. Galaxia will return. She will probably send some other minions after me. I don't want you getting caught in the cross fire again." I got up and grabbed a ticket off the counter. "I already got you a ticket last night. The train leaves in the afternoon. Please go home."

Nodding, mom took the ticket and looked at it sadly. Then, she flashed me a weak smile. "I am only a city away. When this is over, you will call me? Right?" Quickly, she wiped away an escaped tear.

"Yes, mom. I promise." If I get through this fight with Galaxia, if we all survive…maybe I will take a trip back home.

 _Bang._ The front door open and shut loudly. Hotaru's excited footsteps echoed through the hallway. Breathless, she came through the kitchen and put down a big box in front of mom. "Grandma, we went shopping instead. I got you a goodbye gift."

"Thank you very much, Hotaru." Mom bent down and kissed the little girl. "Oh, I wonder what it is…." Mom took off the bow and opened the box. She pulled out a lamp shaped like a firefly. "Ahh…Hotaru. Firefly."

"Mmm hmm. So you won't forget me, grandma. And if you miss me, you can look at the lamp. Oh, and see this sticker here? It's the planet Uranus. So if you miss papa, you can look at that."

I smiled as I watched them talk back and forth. Mom was really taken with Hotaru and that warmed my heart. The family had grown, indeed. Unknowingly, mom had become an integral part of this family.

With time, my wounds would heal. Usagi told me to believe. I surprised myself when I realized, I already do. Mom had accepted me, the entire me. The barrier that separated us had been knocked down.

"Mom…"

"Yes, Haruka?"

"I forgive you."

 **~The End~**

* * *

 **A.N. Thank you to all my readers and all the kind words in the reviews.**


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